Saturday, April 24, 2010

How do we die now?

I've been wondering how we die in the modern age.  Specifically, those of us who have a facebook presence, or are signed up with twitter, or one of the other social media sites that have come to prominence in the last few years: after we, as people, die, and those who love us come to terms with our death, what happens then to our online personae?
It has become clear to me this week that comments on a wall can alert a lot of people to the demise of the owner of the wall.  For how long will facebook allow the wall to stand, with the multitude of memories, reminiscences and goodbyes inscribed there?  Will they choose to let it stay forever?  Or for a year?  Or only until they discover that he is dead?

Yours, saddened by the death, and curious to see how the social media sites handle the conundrums,
N.

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